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The Volkswagen Golf Has Been Named UK’s Most Popular Used Car For The Past 10 Years

Published

1 month ago

September 7, 2026

Ehijie

The VW Golf has been named the most popular used car in the UK for the past ten years, according to new research from automotive platform CarGurus.

To mark its tenth anniversary in the UK, the firm surveyed 1,000 drivers aged 27 and over to examine changes in their used car buying preferences since 2016.

The icon of the compact class Volkswagen Golf won the title of the most popular used car, ahead of the BMW X3 and Audi Q3. The first five places are rounded out by the Audi A3 and Opel, respectively, in their market, the Vauxhall Astra. When it comes to body types, hatchbacks were chosen by 28% of drivers, while medium- and small-class SUVs won 21% and 15% of the votes, respectively. The research also showed that minivans have lost their popularity in the last decade.

Chris Knepman, UK editor of CarGurus, said that the Golf has for years represented the ideal combination of reliability, practicality, design and affordable price, and that the results show that buyers today, in addition to the classic criteria, are increasingly looking for advanced safety equipment and technology.

Advanced technology in vehicles has become a standard, not a luxury. The most valued features are cameras with a 360-degree view option (30%) and parking assistance systems (28%), while keyless entry and push-button engine start are preferred by 25% of respondents. On the other hand, gesture control (7%) and online updates (8%) occupy the bottom of the popularity scale.

Reliability (60%) and maintenance costs (54%) are still key factors when buying a used vehicle, but the survey also shows a clear shift towards modern requirements. Even 70% of drivers today pay more attention to safety features than in 2016, 66% emphasize the importance of modern technology in the vehicle, and 61% are more sensitive to issues of emissions and environmental impact.